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Rosenstein: Russia Investigation Not a 'Witch Hunt'

As members of Congress grilled him, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told them the Russia investigation is not a witch hunt. Scott MacFarlane reports. (Published Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017)

Most Americans think Donald Trump did something illegal or at least unethical regarding ties between his presidential campaign and Russia — and they think he's trying to obstruct the investigation looking into those possible connections.

The deeply divided country is more concerned about health care and the economy than any collusion with the Kremlin, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. But the survey also shows that Americans are unhappy with the way Trump is dealing with the investigations led by Congress and special counsel Robert Mueller.

Most people believe Trump is trying to obstruct the investigations, which have resulted in charges against four of his campaign advisers and increasingly appear focused on the president's inner circle.

Four in 10 Americans think the president has done something illegal when it comes to Russia, while an additional 3 in 10 say he's at least done something unethical. And 68 percent disapprove of his response to the investigations.

Flynn Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to FBI

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty to a count of making false statements to the FBI. He is the fourth person charged in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election.

(Published Friday, Dec. 1, 2017)

There are significant partisan divisions, with Democrats far more likely than Republicans to be concerned about Trump's actions or to feel invested in what the probes uncover.

Debra Nanez in Arizona said that she believes Trump broke the law and has been lying to the American people.

"If you go back and do a rewind, you say, 'Yep, he's guilty.' He's lied so badly to us from the beginning until now. He was involved in it. He knew what was going on," said Nanez, 65, who doesn't affiliate with a political party.

"Unethical, yes. I mean the whole picture of that man is unethical. Illegal? I'll just have to hold that in abeyance until I find out more about what went down," said Stephenson, a registered Republican who says she's unhappy with the current GOP.

Congress Eyes Russian Social Media Influences

Representatives from Facebook, Twitter and Google faced senators Tuesday at the first of three congressional hearings looking into how Russia attempted to meddle in the 2016 presidential election through social media. One hundred and twenty fake, Russia-backed Facebook pages reached 126 million people, or half of all eligible American voters, through likes, shares, and follows.

(Published Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017)

Both Nanez and Stephenson, like 63 percent of Americans, say Trump has tried to impede or obstruct the investigations into whether his campaign had Russian ties. According to the survey, 86 percent of Democrats, 67 percent of independents and 24 percent of Republicans agree.

Still, just short of half of Americans — 47 percent — say they're extremely or very concerned about whether Trump or others involved with his campaign had inappropriate contacts with the Russian government. Those results fall along party lines, too, and are largely unchanged since March.

"I feel like there are so many more important issues that we could be focusing on other than something that's basically water under the bridge," said Martina Childers, a 53-year-old Republican who lives in Colorado.

She said the economy, taxes, the military and small business concerns are more pressing issues. The Russia investigations? "I don't think that's so important. I just don't," she said.

Childers' views reflect the feelings of a majority of Americans. Just 4 in 10 call the Russia investigation very or extremely important to them. By contrast, immigration, taxes and health care are all considered much more important, according to the survey.

Melinda McLaughlin, who identifies as an independent and lives in Ohio, said she, too, believes tax reform and the economy are more important issues, but that doesn't mean she's not concerned about the Russia investigations.

Parkland Shooting Survivor Calls 'BS' on Politicians' Gun Stance

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High senior Emma Gonzalez had a message for president Donald Trump and for other politicians on their failure to enact sensible gun laws: "BS." Gonzalez was one of several survivors to speak at a rally held outside the Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to speak out against the gun lobby.

(Published Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018)

"I do feel like there was either collusion or a connection there that affected the election, and I do not feel like the president is telling the truth about his involvement in it," said McLaughlin, who is 56.

Of the special counsel's investigation, just 26 percent say they're very or extremely confident that it will be fair and impartial, while an additional 31 percent are moderately confident. Opinions about the possibility of a fair and impartial congressional investigation are even lower, with just 13 percent saying they're very or extremely confident in that happening and 32 percent saying they're moderately confident.

In Colorado, Childers said she can't completely trust Mueller.

"I feel like there may be some ulterior motives there," she said, noting that Trump "ruffled a lot of feathers" when he took office.

But in rural Kentucky, Stephenson said she has high confidence in Mueller.

"I don't see how anybody could be unbiased, but if he doesn't show it in his investigation or his conclusions, that's integrity," she said of Mueller. "I have to go on what so many people have said: They believe in him. They trust him. They think he's honest."

The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,020 adults from Dec. 7-11 using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

Interviews were conducted online and using landlines and cell phones.

Russians Indicted for Alleged Election Meddling Conspiracy

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announces indictments against 13 Russians and three Russian entities accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.